I'm going to start this challenge a week early, too. I was planning very well in the meal department for a while and then slowly started easing up because life was moving a bit fast. We didn't overspend, but when I'm organized in the food area of my life, my entire life gets easier. It seems crazy, but so much of my life revolves around getting everyone fed!

I'll work harder on writing out more defined recipes and a plan for this list while keeping things within my food budget. I need to work harder on quick grab and go meals for busy nights because while it doesn't kill us to grab takeout pizza or prepared refrigerated or even frozen pizzas from the grocery store, I think I can do better.

This is a really important challenge for me. I have an informal plan that I run with each week, but I think I need to formalize it and really make sure that I stick with it. I have fallen away from the crock pot, but I think that it is imperative for me to add it back into my rotation so that we aren't tempted to go out or order in. And by "we", I completely mean "me!"

I need to get in on this!! I hate to cook, I hates it I tell you!!! Only because I live alone and cooking r one sucks! When I cook, because I've not figured out portion sizes, I eat the same thing all week. My goal, one sandwich shop per wk, figure out how and what to make, maybe get a small crockpot.

I'm in. The lower level of my freezer is currently full of bags of crabapples that need to be processed into applesauce and jelly. Then there's the rhubarb. I seriously need to do a pantry/freezer inventory to see what I have. Then I can draw up a menu plan.

For today...Tonight is pizza night. I'll use up the last two pizzas in the freezer.

ETA: I finished the pantry/freezer inventory. Menu plan for this week...

I am setting a little challenge that is related to meal planning. I need some new freezer to oven (and microwave/fridge) type storage/bakeware (corningware or pyrex). I'm going to check each time I go to the thrift store which isn't very often lately, but I will make a point to keep my eye out for these items. I will see what I can come up within a year. LOL Yes, I'm giving myself an entire year. To make this a bit more of a challenge, each piece I buy has to cost less than half the new retail cost to keep it on the cheap. I've never really looked for these items before, but am hoping I can find a few.

It's been a long time since I've posted! I menu plan most weeks but I feel like we eat the same things over and over. I'm getting some new ideas here, thanks guys. Since it's just DH and I (and we're both retired), I often put a lot of leftovers in the freezer to use at a later date. We try to have one or two vegetarian meals each week. DH will usually try a new recipe one evening each week. I love that I get a night off most weeks! With that said, we aren't always frugal with our ingredients/dishes but we are getting better. We have a well stocked freezer that we are trying to use up. I've made an inventory and will use it to plan from for the next month or so. Next week main dishes: vegetable & cheese frittata, meatloaf, bean & cheese burritos, tuna steaks, chicken, hotdogs. We are going to a Super Bowl party Sunday evening so we will be eating there.

Two light nights because the older kids have festival very late. Zach has two nights at festival (orchestra and band) and Ally has one. I can't remember if this is 3 separate nights or only 2 nights, so will plan on 2 nights for now.

Whole roasted Chicken, veggies and mashed potatoes (not sure what seasoning for chicken still)BBQ pork, potatoes, veggie (Monday)Baked ziti or /taco pasta (Saturday)Pizza quesadillas and green salad (Sunday)Hot dogs, fries, onion rings (light night because Ally has festival and will be gone until very late evening Thursday)Fettuccine alfredo or just cream of broccoli soup (Wednesday)Grilled cheese or breakfast for dinner (light night because the older kids have festival and will be gone until very late evening)Chicken something. I have split chicken breasts or drumsticks. So undecided still. Decided on this:Needed to use leftover oranges. The flavor of them was not quite sweet enough for everyone to eat them all. But great for cooking. (Tuesday)allrecipes.com

Ok.....I am starting small here....I have the next few days planned. @konacoffee ....want to join me by starting with just 2-3 days of meal planning??

Tonight hubby is out of town until late for work. He probably will not eat until he gets home but there is some leftover pizza that needs eaten so he can have that. It gets me off the hook for tonight.....I will offer to make father in law half a sandwich or a can of chicken noodle or tomato soup or I have a slice of his pizza in freezer I can warm up. He will be happy.....those are his favorite things to eat! I have some black bean chili with yam in freezer in singles serve bowls I made last week so will I will have that.

For the boys....3/8. Buffalo chicken grilled sandwiches with a small green salad.3/9 pork tacos loaded with lots of fresh veggie toppings, guacamole etc...I have a pork tenderloin to cook in crock pot.....need to look on Pinterest for seasoning ideas.

For me......Roasted veggies ( have some I need to use before they go bad), tofu and quinoa ( already cooked and in freezer in single portion bags) ...or maybe a salad?

Father in law is having a procedure for a blockage in his leg on Friday. Hospital is 1 1/2 hours away. He will come home Sunday IF doing well. So those days are up in the air? I will probably be using those days as a break from cooking! There is a hearthealthy cafe in the hospital that hubby says is right up my alley with vegetarian and vegan food! (I am strangely excited about that but like I told you guys I don't get out much!) Inormally make 3 meals a day every day.....hubby takes his to work, I make father in law what he wants then mine( which is 100% different from how they eat!).......I really need to get into meal planning......when I have a plan like I do for the next few days I feel so much more relaxed!

tomorrow?? I have no idea... the guys don't eat a lot of fruit & veggies, I add these in for me.

Tues, maybe chicken & noodles from the chicken above. W/ veggie ?My sales aren't up yet so I'm not sure whats on sale, I wanted corned beef and cabbage, but I can't have the corned beef, so now I don't know what have.

ok I am changing my menu already! this is exactly why a menu plan doesn't work for me, I keep changing.I don't want to do the chicken bones today, I have a lot of left over chicken, so think I will do a southwestern skillet dinner, with a salad. going to put beans and vegies in the skillet.

@konacoffee Mine changes, too. I just create the list of meals for 7-8 days and include my backup plans and don't assign days until the day before or the day it happens. Today I'm really behind and was up really late and forgot to pull meat to thaw. So now I am not sure what I am making on my list.

I'll probably make lasagna. Poor Zach won't be happy (He hates the texture of ground beef), but that's the way it goes and there's plenty of other stuff he can have. LOL

Sara, that sounds like me, but every single day.. I have lists everywhere, but they don't seem to help.

I have been trying to find dinners I can make in my electric pressure cooker, that way if I forget to thaw meat I can still throw it in frozen, it just takes longer to come up to pressure. Also finding meals with low salt is like a miracle, and now days they are brining meats, even the chicken, then I cant eat it. Canned soups are completely out and I can't find a good homemade one to use.I have been collecting Amazon's free kindle's to my computer for instant pot meals , so hoping I can use a lot of the recipes, or change them... it sounds promising, but we will see..

@konacoffee I changed my mind. LOL I'm making kielbasa. I decided to just cut potatoes, green bell peppers and onions and then sliced the kielbasa into medallions and tossed it all in some olive oil. Added some herbs and seasoning and popped it in the oven. Will be done by 4pm when everyone gets home. Far less work than lasagna. LOL